Crimson Joy

Book Description

A serial killer is on the loose in Beantown and the cops can't catch him. But when the killer leaves his red rose calling card for Spenser's own Susan Silverman, he gets all the attention that Spenser and Hawk can give.

Spenser plays against time while he tracks the Red Rose killer from Boston's Combat Zone to the suburbs. His trap is both daring and brave, and gives the story a satisfying climax.

"Like Philip Marlowe, Spenser is a man of honor in a dishonorable world. When he says he will do something, it is done. The dialogue zings, and there is plenty of action...but it is the moral element that sets this series above most defective fiction." (Newsweek)

Customer Reviews:

High action; a true thriller in the real sense of the word.......2007-07-10

Spenser is called in by the police on a murder investigation in this, the 15th book in the series. There is a serial killer on the loose - the killer is targeting black women in their 40s, binding and gagging them and killing them in a most gruesome manner. His signature? A single red rose. As race and class tensions rise in Boston, the police put pressure on the team investigating the murders - and Spenser - to close the book on this as quickly as possible.

As Spenser edges closer to the truth, the killer targets Susan. With the police off the case (due to the confession of another man), Spenser calls in Hawk to help him. The two primaries on the murder investigation - Quirk and Belson - are asked to take vacation, because they believe that the wrong man is in jail. They join Spenser in protecting Susan and trying to find the killer.

The action in this book comes and goes - but when it is there, it is high intensity! This book is a thriller and a rather gruesome serial killer murder mystery. As such, it is atypical of Spenser - not to say that murders do not occur, just that usually murder is not the crime Spenser is investigating. Nonetheless, I enjoyed this book a great deal - a recommend from me!

Dumb plot - he's written much better.......2007-05-19

How dumb and coincidental is this - the bad guy is a patient of Spenser's girlfriend. This is good for readers who can't keep 4 characters in a book straight. He's done much better. Must of had a big boat payment due.

A Minor Spenser Novel .......2007-04-16

I love Robert Parker, and enjoy many of his novels. I've always found his Spenser series to be uneven -- some of the books are spectacular, but many of them are just passable.

I would put CRIMSON JOY in the "passable" category. A serial killer is on the loose, and Spenser is tapped by the Boston police to help find him. Apparently, Spenser is better trusted than their entire detective force. Spenser later learns that the killer many be one of the patients of his long-time psychologist girlfriend, Susan Silverman, and that her life may be in danger.

CRIMSON JOY is readable, and most of the dialogue is fun. But there is very little story in this novel. The serial killer plot is pretty simplistic. Parker focuses more attention on Spenser's relationship with Silverman, and the constant love talk between them. If you've read the more recent Spenser books, you know what I mean by this. There's also a lot of padding in this book, with numerous scenes that have little relevance to the serial killer plot. So we see Spenser at the gym, Spenser cooking, Spenser on a radio show, and so on.

If you like Parker's writing, as I do, then reading CRIMSON JOY is a decent way to spend a few hours. But if you're looking for an exciting, multilayered story to sink your teeth into, my advice is to try something else.

Red and Green Do Not Always Mean Christmas........2007-03-10

This time the reader was grabbed by the neck and held for a while as CRIMSON JOY opened onto an in progress investigation of a fresh murder scene of the Red Rose killer's "signature." From there the plot ran relentlessly into the seamless consequences and serious carnivals of media, political, and social "consciousness" pushes polluting professional pursuits of a serial killer. Parker had precisely pegged the gestalt of this "scene" and its take-off sidelines, with this # 15 in the Spenser series featuring the king pin of Boston homicide detectives, Lieutenant Quirk. Serving as his posse were Sergeant Belson, Spenser, Susan, and Hawk.

Presented on page 67 of the current mass market paperback, was one of the most cleanly accurate dialogues I've read of the position and essential attitude of a professional police person in charge of such a situation. Quirk, the good-guy cop (those types do exist), was confronted by representatives of the worst examples of human self-enhancement posed as social consciousness, from a shark-frenzied media, higher-echelon police presence, racial political-punk, religious frock, and feminist frizz ("The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly," exist in each of those Rings).

And the mad-cap chase was on.

Realistically, though, with Parker unable to present it any other way, this type of investigation gets nowhere fast, through grueling, non-stop, prime effort of dedicated noses sniffing dirt, and grinding stones.

(I worked for a couple months in 1985 in Portland, Oregon and Tacoma, Washington, with a couple private detectives trying to pick up the Green River Killer's trail. I'm still not sure what trail we were following, but it didn't give a successful conclusion at that time, fast, slow, or otherwise. Ann Rule recently published a flawlessly professional book, GREEN RIVER, RUNNING RED, about that horrifying nightmare's various trails and conclusions.)

So, the chase was on, in CRIMSON JOY. The actual investigation (in this Spenser novel) had begun effectively and efficiently a day or two prior to the rush (even though getting nowhere fast is the result for a frustratingly long time for heroic pursuers in this reality "show") and would continue relentlessly, in spite of being watched by a carnival of the calculated concern of users of the situation. Observing through Spenser's eyes those humans who pose primely (and primly) in pseudo-self-righteousness while they're using a serial killing arena to further professional, social, or personal causes; I was wondering (as directed by Parker's crisply chosen words) where the evil of rankest stench stewed. Was it in the killer, in his background, or in the foreground of the words: "We're watching you, Quirk, to be sure you do your job to the specifications of our suck-power interests."

As anyone who has read even a few pages of a Spenser novel would know, he has a nose to sniff the goods on anything, even in innocent seeding phases of personal rot. Hold your noses, folks, and dive in. Before taking the riveting descent, however, be aware of your time, place, and reading pose. You might not be leaving that setting before you crack the book's spine in the middle. Not to worry about time as much as muscle strain. The reading speed could be near double your norm for a Spenser novel, and the sinew tension should be set and held by the third line.

This plot is cold, as it should be. It's not over shocked; yet it's true to base reality, as it should be. Having read and reviewed the first 14 and a few of the later Spenser novels, I would expect no less from this author honoring through prime literature, sub-cultural significance in three pivotal decades of human evolution.

CRIMSON JOY is another insightful winner in the Spenser annals, not only flawlessly featuring all the above, but also allowing Spenser and Susan's relationship to culture-out cleanly in the heat of overlap of their personal and professional lives, as they slosh as a team in the middle of this carnival's sewers.

It's interesting to me, from our current temporal perspective, to note the original copyright date of each Spenser novel. I then note the fact that a book is usually conceived and written a year or two prior to the copyright date, around situations which had begun brewing a year or so prior to a novel's conception. Most often, in the case of an established, successful author, that manuscript would have been published around a year after the copyright date. Of course, in this Third Millennium these time frames are in flux, getting wherever faster.

Linda Shelnutt

Good story, but lacks a lot of the signature wisecracking.......2006-03-14

A serial killer is on the loose; he binds his black female victims, strips them naked, sticks his gun in their vagina and pulls the trigger. Once he commits the act, he masturbates and leaves a long-stemmed red rose with the victim. After three murders, Belson and Quirk are getting nowhere and they have a strong suspicion that the killer is a cop. Therefore, they call in favors and recruit Spenser to aid them in the case. He complies and has the same suspicions. The killer taunts Quirk to try to catch him and the news media and local politicians all join in the clamor, raising the race issue.
They suffer a setback when a black man tries to get away with killing his wife by performing a copycat murder. He doesn't quite do it to perfection and Quirk and Belson easily recognize the situation. However, the people higher up are more than happy to believe that all cases are solved. Quirk and Belson then take a "vacation" to continue their search.
The situation takes an immediate turn to greater immediacy when a man tries to break into Susan Silverman's apartment. Spenser is there, fights him off, but his pride suffers a hit when the man is able to leap over a fence and get away while Spenser is unable to clear it. The assailant also leaves a rose behind and kills Susan's fish.
The man is a client of Susan's, and this fact is soon discovered by Susan, Spenser and Hawk. There is a climactic final scene when Susan and Spenser confront the killer in front of his clearly psychotic mother. Susan backs Spenser up with a gun, but the killer runs away. Spenser has no trouble chasing him down and the killer ends up sobbing in his arms.
While this story is good, it lacks the interesting dialog of other Spenser novels. Spenser, Quirk, Belson and Hawk are all very serious, rarely engaging in any of the wisecracking banter that is the signature of the best Spenser novels.

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Crimson Joy
Robert B. Parker
Manufacturer: Delacorte Preses
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ASIN: B000NSHCGE

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crimson joy
parker
Manufacturer: delacorte press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000LNQCI0

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Crimson Joy
Robert B. Parker
Manufacturer: Dell Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000GS9PKW

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Crimson Joy
Robert B. Parker
Manufacturer: Dell Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000NX7O5I

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Crimson Joy
Robert B. Parker
Manufacturer: Delcorte Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0670825395

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Crimson Joy
Robert B. Parker
Manufacturer: Penguin Books Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

French | Foreign Language Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

All French Books | French | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 0140116508

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Crimson Joy
Robert B. Parker
Manufacturer: Dell Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NXWIF4

Set of 5 Titles in the Spenser Series: (1) Valediction; (2) A Catskill Eagle; (3) Taming a Sea-horse; (4) Pale Kings and Princes; (5) Crimson Joy (Spenser Series)

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Set of 5 Titles in the Spenser Series: (1) Valediction; (2) A Catskill Eagle; (3) Taming a Sea-horse; (4) Pale Kings and Princes; (5) Crimson Joy (Spenser Series)
Robert B. Parker
Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

THE SPIDER - Master of Men (Issue 50) - November Nov 1937: Master of the Flaming Horde; Doc Turner and the Crimson Coffin; Death O'Clock Joy Ride; The Web; Deadly Foes of the Spider

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THE SPIDER - Master of Men (Issue 50) - November Nov 1937: Master of the Flaming Horde; Doc Turner and the Crimson Coffin; Death O'Clock Joy Ride; The Web; Deadly Foes of the Spider
Rich (editor) (Norvell Page writing as Grant Stockbridge; Arthur Leo Zagat; Wayne Rogers; Christopher Yates; The Devil) Harvey
Manufacturer: Bold Venture Press - Argosy Communications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0971224617

Book Description

When James Sidwell, Marquis of Riverdale, offered to help Elizabeth Hotchkiss find herself a husband, he never dreamed that the only candidate he could propose would be himself..

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When James Sidwell, Marquis of Riverdale, offered to help Elizabeth Hotchkiss find herself a husband, he never dreamed that the only candidate he could propose would be himself...When James Sidwell, Marquis of Riverdale, offered to help Elizabeth Hotchkiss find herself a husband, he never dreamed that the only candidate he could propose would be himself...

Amazon.com

Setting: Regency England

Sensuality: 8

Elizabeth Hotchkiss needs to marry a wealthy man, and fast. The oldest child of four well-bred orphans, she's managed to keep the wolf from their door for years, but she's running out of options. The only marriage prospect in sight is her landlord, Squire Nevins, but his lecherous gaze makes Elizabeth's skin crawl. So when she discovers the book How to Marry A Marquis in her employer's library, she impulsively stuffs it into her reticule and takes it home. Encouraged by her insistent sister, Elizabeth reluctantly agrees to learn the book's rules well enough to catch a monied husband. But first, she must find a man to practice her wiles on. Enter James Sidwell, the Marquis of Riverdale. Posing as the new estate manager per his beloved Aunt Danbury's instructions, he just happens to arrive at the Danbury estate on the very day that Elizabeth discovers the book. Is it too coincidental that James's Aunt Danbury needs his assistance in catching a blackmailer at the precise moment that Elizabeth needs a guinea pig? Perhaps, but neither Elizabeth nor James have reason to suspect that they're being lovingly maneuvered.

James begins to search for a blackmailer, and Elizabeth is high on his list of suspects. While purposely spending time with her to explore her guilt or innocence, however, he's irresistibly drawn to her beauty and kindness as well as her practicality and sharp tongue. And when he learns that she's practicing to entice a husband, he can't resist offering to tutor her in courtship. Before long, the two realize their growing feelings for each other. But the course of true love never did run smoothly, and the lovers encounter a few obstacles along the way. Will the evil Squire Nevins easily give up his designs on Elizabeth and her sisters? What about the nefarious blackmailer? And how will Elizabeth react if she discovers that James is not who he pretends to be?

How To Marry A Marquis is a delightful read with witty dialogue that sparkles, wonderful secondary characters--including the difficult Aunt Agatha and an impossibly arrogant cat named Malcolm--sensuous love scenes, and a hero and heroine that readers will fall in love with. --Lois Faye Dyer

Customer Reviews:

My favorite Julia Quinn!.......2007-01-04

I have read basically all of Julia Quinn's novels and this one is definitely my favorite! "How to Marry a Marquis" is a little more light-hearted and fun than the Bridgerton novels. I found myself laughing out loud in a lot of instances and absolutely fell in love with both Elizabeth and James. This novel adds a little frivolity to the usual romances that Quinn writes about. Make sure you set aside enough to time because you'll want to finish this one in one sitting! Another good one to try is its "sister" book "To catch an heiress" which is almost as much fun too and also features James.

Clever, witty and entertaining - 3.5 stars.......2006-09-04

A follow up to TO CATCH AN HEIRESS, this is the story of James Sidwell, Marquis of Rivendale.

Under the guise of an estate manager, James goes to Surrey to assist his aunt Lady Danbury with a blackmail case. High on his list of suspects is his aunt's companion. In order to determine her innocence or guilt, he spends time with her only to realize that blackmail is the last thing on her to-do list. Instead, she's out to find a husband with the help of a little red book with the ridiculous title HOW TO MARRY A MARQUIS. And so James offers to help her only to find himself falling in love.

Elizabeth Hotchkiss is the impoverished daughter of a baronet. Orphaned when she was only eighteen, she has shouldered the responsibilities of looking after her three younger siblings for the last five years. But with barely enough money to keep them from starving, she knows that her only option is to marry well. Thus, when she stumbles upon the book at Lady Danbury's library, she takes it home hoping to get some tips on catching a rich husband. Little did she expect that the man who offers to help her is actually a real marquis! And so the fun begins.

HOW TO MARRY A MARQUIS is a delightful tale with well-drawn characters that you are sure to love. Elizabeth is such a likeable heroine, kindhearted, clever and sharp-tongued. I enjoyed her banter with Lady Danbury (and believe me, you will admire anyone who can stand up to her!). As for James, well I already loved him from the first book so I was glad he has his own story. I guarantee that you will enjoy every scene between him and the heroine. In addition, the secondary characters are great, from Lady Danbury, Elizabeth's siblings, even Malcolm, the cat. And we also get to catch up with the main characters from the first book.

While this isn't on par with some of the Bridgerton books, this is still a nice, leisurely read and actually better than the first one.

Utterly Charming.......2006-08-30

I just love a book that can be lighthearted, funny and romantic all at the same time. I can only describe this book as utterly charming. The heroine Elizabeth is raising her orphaned siblings. Although gentry, her father left them virtually penniless and she works as a companion to Lady Danforth to make ends meet. It becomes obvious this small salary will not be enough to see them through and she realizes she must marry and marry well to save the family. While at Lady D's home, she discovers a book in the library called How to Marry a Marquis, thinking it will help her learn how to attract a wealthy suitor she takes it home and she and her sister read it hoping to learn what to do.

James, a Marquis, comes to his aunt's (Lady Danforth) home to catch someone who is blackmailing his aunt. In order to successfully catch the villian they disguise his identity and claim he is the new estate manager. He meets Elizabeth and is charmed by her innocence and sweet clumsiness but still counts her among the suspects. He quickly decides she is innocent but does not reveal his true identity. Elizabeth has decided to practice tips from her book on James to see if they will work with a potential suitor. When she starts having feelings for him, she decides to return the book and forget her quest. James discovers her with the book and offers to help find her a husband. The trouble is he is so jealous of all other men, he soon places himself as the only person in the running. Soon they are falling in love and James knows he will marry her as soon as he catches the villan.

The only thing that might disappoint some readers is there is very little hanky panky. A brief shared night toward the end along with a few stolen kisses is all that's offered in that area. It just did not take anything away from the book for me, the underlying but subtle sensuality was enough to make it good for me.

Julia has another winner!.......2006-08-08

How to Marry a Marquis by Julia Quinn has characters from Bridgerton series (Lady Danbury) and weaves another layer of the time. Elizabeth finds interesting novel 'How to Marry a Marquis' while working at Lady Danbury's. She decides to start practicing the rules of the book on Lady Danbury's new estate manager (aka James Sidwell the Marquis of Riverdale and Lady Danbury's nephew). I read this novel in a day and was great escape.

Another JQ favorite!!!!.......2006-08-01

I loved, loved, loved, this story!!!!!!! Cute, sweet and just adorable!!!
A keep for sure!!!

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HOW TO MARRY A MARQUIS
JULIA QUINN
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000MAPET0

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He got what he wanted

Surprises around every corner after lengthy descriptions

Timespell

Timespell: First Chronicle of Aelwyn
Robert N. Charrette
Manufacturer: HarperPrism
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Charrette, Robert N. | ( C ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0061054984

Book Description

A stunningnew fantasy from the author of Shadowrun: Never Deal with a Dragon and A Prince Among Men, which combines adventure and magic with myth and mystery in a world of mages, apprentices, and war-mongerers.

Customer Reviews:

He got what he wanted.......1999-12-13

The main character got what what he wanted even though he thought it wouldn't come in that way he expected. Overall its a good book.

Surprises around every corner after lengthy descriptions.......1999-09-13

His apprenticeship in magic over, the hero serves his local community for a year and then decides to relocate. On his journey to Sharmhurin, the hero experiences tragedy and self growth, while keeping all promises he makes. I found the situations somewhat surprising in many cases and the detailed description sometimes more complete than needed. Even so, I was interested enough in the storyline to complete this book in two sittings despite a full schedule of other tasks I needed to accomplish.

Timespell.......1998-06-19

Timespell is absolutely the worst book I have ever read in any genre! The story, which is full of holes, drags on forever, and yet the detail is still poor.

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Nice survey

Informative but some "don't go there" moments

Wonderful

God vs. G-d,etc. by a Rabbi who is a Rabbi(not a "rabbi")

One of the worst books I have ever read.

Jewish Literacy: The Most Important Things to Know About the Jewish Religion, Its People and Its History
Joseph Telushkin
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Jewish | World | History | Subjects | Books
General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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Jewish Life | Judaism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Telushkin, Joseph | ( T ) | Authors, A-Z | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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Biblical Literacy: The Most Important People, Events, and Ideas of the Hebrew Bible

To Life: A Celebration of Jewish Being and Thinking

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Choosing a Jewish Life: A Handbook for People Converting to Judaism and for Their Family and Friends

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ASIN: 0688085067

Amazon.com

In 1988, Rabbi Joseph Telushkin undertook a mission to heal "Jewish ignorance," an affliction whose symptoms include the ability to name the three components of the Trinity, coupled with an inability to explain mitzvah. Telushkin's contribution to the cure is his wide-ranging, entertaining Jewish Literacy. First published in 1991, Jewish Literacy contains almost 350 entries on subjects ranging from the Ten Commandments to The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Entries are numbered (for easy, encyclopedia-style reference) and organized topically (to smooth the experience of reading each page straight through). And the revised edition contains several new entries (including articles about the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin and the vice-presidential nomination of Joseph Lieberman) as well as numerous corrections, enlargements, and updates. One might expect Rabbi Telushkin's project of inspiring Jewish literacy to be overly earnest, but the author's understated wit adds considerable levity to most entries. The entry on "Sodom and Gomorrah," for instance, ends this way: "A number of years ago, some Israeli promoters of tourism suggested transforming the modern city of Sodom into a tourist haven with casinos, nightclubs, and even strip shows. The Chief Rabbinate in Israel sharply demurred, warning that there was nothing to prevent God from destroying the city a second time. The plan was dropped." --Michael Joseph Gross

Book Description

How much do you know about Judaism?

How did the Ten Lost Tribes become lost ?
Are circumcisions performed on the Sabbath ?
Which country first granted Jews equal rights ?
When was polygamy outlawed for Jews ?
Why does Jewish law compare gossiping to murder ?

You'll find the answers to these questions -- and much more -- in this insightful and comprehensive guide. Written by esteemed rabbi and bestselling author Joseph Telushkin, Jewish Literacy has become one of the most respected and widely used reference books on Jewish life, culture, religion, and tradition. Now revised and updated, this fascinating volume distills a vast body of scholarship into 348 short, readable chapters, making the rich and complex history of Judaism accessible to any reader.

Organized by subject, the book's fifteen sections include:

History and Contemporary Life
From the biblical and Talmudic periods through the Spanish Inquisition to modern times, with special sections on the Holocaust, Israel, and American-Jewish life.

Beliefs, Ethics, and Rituals
From monotheism to Judaism's views on the afterlife, "chosenness," and human relations with God; ethical concerns ranging from the proper treatment of animals to the real meaning of "an eye for an eye"; along with explanations of the major prayers and synagogue practices.

Jewish Holidays and Life Cycle
The origins and distinctive customs of each holiday, and the rites sanctifying every major life event from circumcision and baby naming to burial and mourning.

Answers to the questions from the front flap:

They were dispersed when the Kingdom of Israel was destroyed by the Assyrians in 722 B.C.E. (see Chapter 45).
The United States (see Chapter 203).
Around 1000 C.E., when it was proscribed by Rabbi Gershom; however, most Sephardic Jews did not accept the ban (see Chapter 95).
Because gossip, like murder, can do irrevocable damage (see Chapter 271).

Customer Reviews:

Nice survey.......2007-10-10

This book is intended for people, Jew or non Jew, to whet their appetite into the vast storehouse of Jewish history and all things that pertain to Jews in literature. I thought that it was (tob), good. The vastness of our history and literature is beyond reach in this life time. So, suffice to say, their exist certain fountains of knowledge such as this book that helps us mere mortals gain a foothold into our past. I want to say that this book could be used like, cliff notes, but that would trivialize the Rabbi's hard work. Nay, this book is needed and handy for a quick glance into Judaism past it is well written but like all surveys it makes you desire more.
It's a must have.
Shalom

Informative but some "don't go there" moments.......2007-09-25

In general, this was a good book. It is well-written, informative and intelligent. My only criticism is that the Rabbi's statements on Christianity and Islam were not always accurate of fair. (In fairness, these misinterpretations often come from the followers of the religions themselves.) If you keep these biases in mind this is a wonderful book.

Wonderful.......2007-09-24

This book is terrific. Absolutely terrific. Rabbi Telushkin is simply an incredible writer. This book should be read by everyone who is Jewish as well as by everyone who is interested in world religions.

God vs. G-d,etc. by a Rabbi who is a Rabbi(not a "rabbi").......2007-09-11

I remember when I first started seeing God spelled G-d,never having a clue what the reason was-and bumbling my way to some type of mystical bs answer that pissed me off;I don't remember how long my "explanation" predated this book,but I was pissed off until I finally saw the real answer:(p.56-57)"The Third Commandment also has not fared well in English:Lo tissa et shem Ha-Shem Eloheikha la-shav is usually translated as "You shall not take the Lord your God's name in vain."Many people think that this means that you have to write God as G-D,or that it is blasphemous to say words such as "goddamn".Even if these assumptions are correct,it's still hard to figure out what makes this offense so heinous that it's included in the document that forbids murdering,stealing,idolatry,and adultery.However,the Hebrew,Lo tissa,literally means "You shall not carry(God's name in vain);in other words,don't use God as your justification in selfish causes.The Third Commandment is the only one concerning which God says,"for the Lord God will not forgive him who carries His name in vain"(Exodus 20:6-7).The reason now seems to be clear.When a person commits an evil act,he discredits himself.But when a religious person commits an evil act in the name of God,he or she discredits God as well.And since God relies on religious people to bring knowledge of Him into the world,he pronounces the sin unpardonable."Amen.

One of the worst books I have ever read........2007-08-07

Before I express the criticism from my title I should begin by saying that this book is well written and very informative. It contains a lot of really interesting information about Judaism and were it not for the profound biases and ignorance of its author I might even rank it among one of the better books I have read recently.

In order to understand why I so thoroughly dislike this book it might actually help to briefly discuss another book that really has nothing to do with this one. A few years ago I read Bertrand Russell's History of Western Philosophy - another good book with a very similar abysmal nature. My issue with Russell is his utter dismissal of any other view point from his own. Thus Nietzsche is dismissed after only a page. Schopenhauer is rendered inconsequential while fundamental thinkers such as Kirkegaard and Wittgenstein are ignored. Meanwhile trivial thinks such as Dewey are praised because they agree with Russell's own positions. So while the book is well written, the general sense of history and context is brilliant, unless you already know something about philosophy, and can escape the many pitfalls, Russell's text is one to be avoided. And if you do know something it ends up seeming somewhat pathetic.

I have pretty much the same critique of Jewish Literacy by Telushkin. Yes this is a well written book. Yes there is a lot that is good here. A reader who wants to know a little something about Judaism and is willing to consult it more like a dictionary than a reading it cover to cover (like I did) might get some value from owning this book. If you want to occasionally look up different holiday's or get some brief illumination regarding Torah passages or even know a little something more about thinkers like Maimonides or Rabbi Feinstein this is a good introductory source.

What you don't want to do is think of this as having any value when it comes to that can be in any way impartial. Telushkin is an Orthodox Rabbi, so I guess I can forgive some of his opinions in much the same way I can forgive say... Pat Robertson some of his ignorant and backwards positions simply by say well... he is a Southern Baptist he probably doesn't know better.

As an example upon finishing this I was shocked and dismayed to discover that I am an Anti-Semite. I admit to not being Jewish. I can't help that my father's father was Jewish but that is matrilineally irrelevant. But felt that my admiration of so many Jewish writers, thinkers, artists and friends that I actually took the time to well... anee m'daber ktzat eevreet. But it turns out that according to Telushkin that anybody who has even the smallest criticism of Israel is Anti-Zionist and because of this also an Anti-Semite struck me as well... unkind. Or said another way, if disapproving of Israeli missiles killing unarmed Lebanese civilians, or disliking the racist and apartheid policies directed against the Palestinian population makes me an Anti-Semite the so be it; I guess I am one.

Some of his positions such as the position that only Orthodox Jews are really Jews, while Reform Jews and Conservative Jews aren't, seem to be just part of the overall position of Orthodoxy and can probably be ignored in pretty much the same way that say Ann Coulter's position that Democrats and Liberals are un-American are equally as bigoted and unfounded.
In fact if it makes my dislike of this book any easier to understand, just imagine a history of America written by an right-wing republican, then transfer the narrative into a history of Judaism. The same points would be covered 1) The troubled early years and the politically safe interpretation 2) The historical justifications for contemporary amorality 3) The veiled denouncing of political opponents 4) One hell of a lot of revisionism and glossing over.

So yes. I did not like this book. It was at times a fun read. There were a couple of funny anecdotes that I told some of my friends. I did learn a fair bit that I didn't know. The book was well written and kept my interest enough so that it only took me three days to finish reading, like I said cover to cover. But I would never recommend it to anyone. And to the people who do read it, I say be careful, read between the lines because while the author seems reasonable he really is not.

Jewish Literacy Revised Ed: The Most Important Things to Know About the Jewish Religion, Its People, and Its History

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Jewish Literacy Revised Ed: The Most Important Things to Know About the Jewish Religion, Its People, and Its History
Joseph Telushkin
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Jewish Life | Judaism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Jewish Literacy: The Most Important Things to Know About the Jewish Religion, Its People Andits History

Average customer rating:

Jewish Literacy: The Most Important Things to Know About the Jewish Religion, Its People Andits History
Joseph Telushkin
Manufacturer: William Morrow & Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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